By Comrade Abbas Ibrahim
As the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ended, Sunday, July 26, 2026, the attention of citizens must now shift from registration to the next critical stages of democratic participation: verifying voter details, collecting Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), evaluating candidates and voting responsibly in the 2027 elections.
Kano State through the 12 sub committees of the Waiya led Taskforce Committee on Mobilization of Voters Registration has emerged as a leading example in voter mobilisation during the just concluded CVR exercise. Through coordinated engagement involving government institutions, traditional and religious leaders, organised labour, youth and student groups, women organisations, Fulani groups, civil society and the media, the state demonstrated that citizens’ participation can be significantly improved through purposeful mobilisation.
But registration is only the beginning.
The next challenge is to ensure that every eligible citizen who registered follows through to collect their PVC and verify their details when the voters’ register is displayed.
Citizens must evaluate candidates based on competence, character, capacity, integrity and track record, not merely on money, identity, empty promises or political propaganda.
Political parties and candidates must also be challenged to present credible programmes and conduct issue based campaigns, while the media, civil society and community leaders must sustain voter education and combat misinformation.
Kano’s leading role in the CVR mobilisation should therefore become the foundation for a broader citizens’ participation campaign ahead of 2027.
The state has shown that it can lead in mobilising citizens to register. The next test is whether it can also lead in PVC collection, voter education, informed voting and peaceful democratic participation.
Because democracy does not end with registration. The real power of the citizen is exercised when an informed voter collects the PVC, makes a credible choice and participates peacefully in protecting the integrity of the ballot.
Kano has led in mobilisation. The next step is to lead in responsible democratic participation.